MENASHA, Wis. — In the coming months, the now-vacant University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Fox Cities campus in Menasha will look a little different.
Winnebago County Executive Gordon Hintz said the county is still sizing up the 43-acre site and buildings for future uses.
“We see real opportunity and potential,” he said. “It won’t be like it was, but we think that it’s a unique property, hopefully with a future that can continue to serve the public as well as generate some tax base for the Menasha community and for Winnebago County.”
The county takes possession of the property on July 1 after agreeing to purchase it for $1 earlier this year from joint ownership with Outagamie County.
Part of the formula is making sure the county is investing in the facilities in a financially sustainable way.
“If there’s an opportunity to reuse any of the education space for offices or for child care or for county space, I think we would look at that. We’re also going to have developers come through, take a look at the property, give their opinion on what they see, and we might be looking to break the 43 acres up into parcels,” he said.
Child care is expected to stay on campus along with the theater and a field house.
The Weis Earth Science Museum collection is being moved while the Barlow Planetarium will stay put on campus.
Teri Gee is the director of the Barlow.
“I’m very glad that things do seem to be settling down and getting to the point where we can focus on the things that need to be done rather than wondering if we’re going to be able to do them at all,” she said.
Part of the plans include a campaign to raise money to invest in a new projector.
“Then we’ll be ready to move forward with expanding our offerings and allowing people to really see the fully capacity of what a planetarium can do in this day and age,” Gee said.
Hintz said the campus also includes some land that has the potential for development.
“The north third of the property is undeveloped and has the potential for housing, which we know we sorely need. That could go on the tax rolls,” Hintz said. “This area is an easy on, easy off, access to the rest of the Fox Valley near other businesses here in Menasha, so we think this has a bright future in the Fox Cities.”